(PROVIDENCE, R.I.)-The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, today offered the following statement regarding the interview of Pope Francis with La Civiltà Cattolica.

Being a Catholic does not mean having to choose between doctrine and charity, between truth and love. It includes both. We are grateful to Pope Francis for reminding us of that vision

“I sincerely admire and appreciate the dynamic leadership that Pope Francis is bringing to the Catholic Church. I made that point repeatedly in my recent Rhode Island Catholic interview. It is an exciting time to be a Catholic, and I enthusiastically welcome the balanced and inclusive approach our Holy Father is bringing to the pastoral ministry of the Church. It is a pastoral approach I have attempted to model in the Diocese of Providence for the past eight years.